We’ve been asked many times over the years, about a phenomenon that has troubled many people. The Weather Radar out of NYC during storms looks like this:
We have answered a few people here and there but the questions kept coming. The theories became more and more wild… UFO? Forcefields? Magnetic Forces of a pole reversal?
Was this a case for Agent Scully and Mulder of the X-Files?
Was it worthy enough to only be narrated by the late Robert Stack on Unsolved Mysteries?
Was this line pointing towards something even more mysterious? Should we follow it? A pot of gold? An invisible compass bearing towards a hidden land?
No…..
It’s a water tower located about 1600’ Northwest of the radar site at the National Weather Service in Upton NY.
This structure is tall and close enough that it obstructs the radar beam, casting a radar shadow, directly through our region.
Similar radar obstructions are caused by the Blackhead Mountain Range in the Northern Catskills, which partially obstructs the radar site in Albany. In addition, the Western and Southern Catskill High Peaks, cause a sight obstruction of the radar site located in Binghamton. These obstructions are not as obvious, but can certainly be noticed, see the last photo for the Albany radar shadows.
In short… the three radar sites that service our region… are pretty shady… that’s our quiet weather Snapple fact for the evening.. 
PS- to the fan I promised a dedicated post about just this topic too… your welcome! 
-Alex